Vices
by Jayne Dough
Summary: What stops you from going crazy? T for Language nothing excessive just usual schoolboy fare! Femslash. Updated 11.11.06
1. Tensions

An extremely tired looking Hermione wandered into the common room, simultaneously Harry was reading a book and scribbling notes in a book to his side, Ginny was asleep on the sofa opposite, and Ron was poorly disguising a "Which Broom?" magazine inside a runes book.

Hermione had grown not to expect a greeting when she arrived at this time. Alot of students had become absentees since Dumbledore's death. It was far from the circus-tent chaos picture concerned mothers had painted, as most things continued as normal: There were substitute teachers, and a flustered looking young man (Never without a stack of precariously towering parchments) was taking care of administerial tasks in Dumbledore's place.

"Hello" she said to no-one in particular, dropping a book bag and shifting Ginny's feet so she could sit down. Her words drifted off into the ether as Ginny wiggled in her sleep and replaced her legs over Hermione's.

Hermione surveyed the motley group, Harry had prematurely aged, the sparkle in his eyes faded more with each day, Ron didn't carry his usual school-boy cheekiness into a room, and Ginny was unusually quiet. Seamus and Dean had gone to bed early as usual. Neville was still at Hogwarts in his only truly defiant gesture, his grandmother had forbidden it but to everyones surprise, he showed up on the first day. Hermione supposed it was something to do with his parents.

"How's the research going?"

"Not now" Harry glanced up quickly and gave a fleeting smile, Hermione was glad she met his eyes at that point, as if she'd had blinked she may have missed it, and it was rare enough.

"Ron, I know you're not reading runes" she said with a hint of humour.

"For God's sake Hermione!"

"What? I was just saying, some things never change"

"I was just trying to think of anything other than our impending doom, I can't be learning all the bloody time! and I don't care what you think, I don't spend every waking minute trying to figure out a way to outsmart Vol...V...Never bloody mind!"

"Ron I didn't mean it like that!" But it was no use, Harry hadn't looked up and Ginny hadn't even stirred, it was all so common place, and Ron huffed and flew out of the portrait hole. Defeated, Hermione picked up her book bag, and went to the girls dormitories.

She sat on her bed and wrote fleetingly in her diary, it's hard to define to difference between days when they all feel distinctly the same. Dated for her own reference, she then lay on the bed frustrated. She almost screamed when there was a knock at the door.

"Umm hello? Who is it?" Hermione asked fleetingly covering herself with her sheets.

"Ginny" a tiny voice declared.

"Oh, erm, come in" Said Hermione in mild surprise. Since most of the girls in her year had left or regrouped to make bigger numbers in a younger dormitory, she slept alone in the dorm, which just added to her ever growing solitude.

"Hi" Ginny smiled weakly peeking her head round the door.

"Are you ok?" Hermione asked, with her brow wrinkled in concern.

"I came to ask you!" Ginny let out an equally rare smile and wandered slowly into the room. She sat at the foot of Hermione's bed and played with the edges of the sheet.

"Well, I'm fine" Hermione said, more out of habit than fact. "Are you ok?" she insisted, rubbing Ginny's arm and trying to look under her fringe for any sign of eye contact.

"I'm sorry"

"For what? Don't be stupid"

"For my brother, He's been really tense lately, I think it's all just getting to him"

"Well, he's not the only one" Hermione sighed and hit her head back on the pillow.

"God I'm sorry, I'm not much help, I suppose it's easier to just sleep through it, or pretend to sleep through it" She laughed and lay next to Hermione, who smiled in return.

"I wish I could!" She smiled again. There was a long pause, and a pleasant silence.

"Do you not get lonely up here on your own?"

"Oh, I don't even think about it anymore. It's peaceful I suppose." she sighed again, "What's it like being with those other girls?" Ginny laughed.

"It's awful! They either talk about, well, what's going on, but grossly exaggerate it all so that it sounds like we're all minutes from death, or they switch quickly and talk about who's shagging who!" Hermione laughed.

"Well, if you like, you can stay up here with me tonight" She smiled and wiped away a piece of her hair.

"I'd love to, thankyou. Now, well I heard that Dean was shagging..." Hermione glared. "I'm joking!" she exclaimed and gently hit Hermione with a pillow.

"Thank god. I don't want to know" She paused, "Unless it's really interesting, of course." Ginny laughed again.

"God, I haven't laughed this much in ages."

"It's nice isn't it? I'm just glad someone notices me." She took a beat to evaluate her statement then quickly added "Oh, I'm sorry, I sound whiny"

"No, no, it's my fault! I don't know, it's such a strange atmosphere when we're all together. I feel like if we talk we're breaking some kind of code, and we're not allowed to be ourselves. I promise I always notice you. Always."

"I understand" Hermione nodded, and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you earlier, I thought I should come and apologise for my brother, Lord knows where he's gone, Well I heard...No, sorry! It's gossip. Not here!"

"No go on, it might explain his shitty behaviour"

"I heard he keeps getting with Lavender"

"Well I suppose if it keeps him from going insane"

"Did you have a thing for my brother?" Ginny blurted out.

"I don't think so. I think some feelings of longing just manifested themselves in him, it was hard y'know? He got so immature about it though, it was nothing. We never even kissed."

"Oh. Ok"

Moonlight trickled through the window above Hermione's bed and lit up Ginny's face in pale blue light. She gave a gentle smile when she noticed Hermione quietly observing her, then closed her eyes for a long time. There was nothing but silence and heavy breathing for a while. Hermione shuffled so she was facing away from Ginny.

"Gin? What stops you from going insane?" There was a pause, and for a moment Hermione though she might be asleep.

"Times like this, right now" Ginny murmured and instinctively flopped an arm around Hermione, and fell asleep.


	2. Holiday

Hermione woke to a feeling of calm she hadn't experienced since before joining the school. A simple time, and simple feeling that almost made her forget everything that was happening all around. She rolled over to find Ginny watching her.

"I wondered when you'd get up" She smiled.

"I haven't slept in have I?" Hermione fumbled with the bed sheets and sat up rubbing her head.

"Slept in? It's Saturday!" Ginny laughed and stroked Hermione's hair.

"Still, I should be doing something" she reasoned weakly, succumbing to the feeling of Ginny's fingertips on her scalp.

"No! Don't, not today. I had a nice night, don't ruin it by putting pressure on us this morning." Ginny begged, maintaining eye contact for longer than needed.

"Ok, but I'm going to the library this afternoon" said Hermione, eyebrows raised.

"What are you like!" She grinned at her. Hermione smiled back, then realised the sheets had rolled off her shoulders in the night and exposed more flesh than she'd have liked. She gingerly covered herself up.

"Nothing I haven't seen before" Ginny gave a knowing glance. Hermione looked mortified. "Relax, ok I'm going down to my dorms to get changed and ready and stuff, I'll see you in a bit, yeah?" Hermione nodded and smoothed down her bed head as Ginny dissapeared. She wrapped a dressing gown round herself and padded down to the common room, It was deserted except for Harry with a book resting on his chest, glasses skewed, pained expression on his face, snoring quietly. She sighed at him, she missed the old Harry, she missed her old friends, she hadn't felt so alone in years, since before they'd met.

She got changed and went to the great hall. Ginny wasn't there yet, so she sat opposite Ron.

"I don't want to talk to you" He said, spraying her with scrambled eggs.

"Charming." she smirked "Look, I'm sorry for last night, I didn't mean to cause offense, so I'm sorry if it came out that way. Friends?" He grinned at her. "What? Do I still have egg on my face?"

"No! I just can't believe the great Hermione Granger lowering herself to the level of apologising to me! Someone's in a good mood!"

"I am actually, now don't be a prat about it" he started to dance and chant "Hermione apologised to me" in a wailing off voice. He was attracting the attention of people from surrounding tables.

"How's Lavender?" Hermione smirked, and Ron was silenced, his ears glowing the trademark Weasley red. Ginny came and landed next to her at that point.

"Hi" she gave a delicate smile. "You two made up then" she said, reaching for a plate of eggs and a mug of coffee.

"Only after _she _apologised." He grinned incredulously.

"Really now." Ginny cocked an eyebrow.

"Not you as well! You Weasleys, you all have a problem with pride!" Hermione jested.

"Harry not coming down?" sighed Ginny.

"He's still asleep."Hermione reasoned. "I think I'll take some coffee up to him. I'll meet you up there" Ginny gently squeezed Hermione's arm as she got up, but Hermione acted like nothing had happened.

Harry was still in the same place and everyone else was still nowhere to be seen. She sat next to him, and shook him gently until he woke.

"Shit" he looked around in fear and then calmed upon seeing Hermione's face.

"Here I brought you this" she said handing him a mug of black coffee and rubbing his shoulder.

"Oh that's great, lower" he smiled cheekily, and she obeyed, massaging his back for him. She knew he used his smile and bright green eyes to get what he wanted, but she always obeyed. They'd shared a strange relationship, she cared about him more than most people, and although she could possibly see herself with him, something felt distinctly off, but she'd never had the time to think about what that something was. A glowing sunlight lit up the room.

"Harry, I really need to talk to you" she said, sounding serious.

"Umm, Yeah, what would you like to talk about" he said sipping his coffee and maintaining eye contact with her, he held her free hand with his.

"Today. Can you do something for me"

"What's that."

"Nothing?"

"What do you mean, nothing?"

"Please, don't be my "Hero-Harry", be my "Best-Friend-Harry", Be the "Boy-I-love-to-pieces-Harry""

"Hermione, Voldemort's not going to be taking a day off to go and sit with his friend, he won't stop. He won't stop." He was rubbing the bridge of his nose and looked almost on the verge of tears. She leaned in so close to him and whispered in his ear.

"Harry, I know, I know what it's like for you, you're holding the world on your shoulders, and don't think I'm not thankful or don't respect you for that, but I need you right now, I need to be selfish, and I need you to be selfish for just one day and just relax" He sniffled, and she was sure he would cry but he didn't.

"Ok" he nodded, he gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and a huge embrace. She grinned.

"Christ, get a room" cried Ron, bounding in the room with Ginny. She gave a weak smile and left.

"I saw you anyway" Hermione said to Harry. He looked worried.

"What?"

"Not reading that book. You've been on the same paragraph for three nights"

"It's a hard paragraph alright!" She smiled.

"I'm going to check on Ginny" Hermione excused herself. She found her walking around one of the nearby corridors.

"Hey hey, are you alright?" Hermione quizzed. Ginny jumped with fright and then smiled.

"Oh it's you, God, you scared me there, oh I'm fine"

"Harry's having the day off today, I managed to persuade him"

"I bet you did" she said cocking an eyebrow. Hermione ignored the statement and continued.

"We're probably going to be out in the grounds since it's such a nice day, I'd love it if you came."

"Ok"

"That's it? Oh, well I'll see you later" She shouted "Hopefully" after her as she ran back to the common room.

"Hi" Harry and Ron said simultaneously.

"I was hoping we could go outside since it's a nice day" Harry said.

"Yeah I know, I thought the same thing. I think Ginny might come down at some point"

"I want to go in the lake, it'd be a nice change to spread my legs a bit".

Ginny hadn't showed up and Hermione was content to sit on the jetty and swing her legs in the water as Ron and Harry splashed and behaved like they always had.

"I'm going to swim to that rock and back" Ron shouted with glee, "Time me!" and swam off. Harry hoisted himself onto the jetty next to her and slapped with a satisfying wet sound.

"Thank you" he said and rested a wet head on her shoulder.

"For what?"

"I needed this, I just needed to have some fun."

"Don't thank me"

"I feel like you're not having any fun"

"No, I am. It's amazing to see you having a nice time"

"Ok" he sighed dejectedly and slipped back into the water. He quickly grabbed her feet and pulled her into the water and dunked her. She grinned and squealed and she realised at that moment that if anyone could take a photograph each moment would be one to remember. She didn't reach for the camera though, and continued to wrestle Harry until Ron's return.

"Bet you can't beat my time" Grinned Ron.

"As if!" Boomed Harry, "Race you!" and they raced off. Hermione smiled and tread water, until a pair of hands snaked around her hips and then her eyes.

"Guess who?"


	3. Almost

A/N - I really tried hard on the last paragraph to create a really intense tension, hope you enjoy.

Ginny kissed her on the cheek then dived under the water and circled Hermione's legs. Hermione, giggled as a mixture of weeds and Ginny's skin slipped against her legs as bubbles Hermione laughed and continued to tread water, Ginny slipped around her and spread her into a slippery hug . Harry and Ron were diving out near the rock, and Ginny swam off to tell them she was there.Hermione looked around and her eyes fixated on Remus was fast approaching the lake so Hermione swam out to him.

"Hi" she smiled at him.

"Hello. Harry about? I got told he'd be down here" he said, picking up some pebbles and skimming them across the lake.

"He is, he's just out there" she said, gesticulating to the rock. "Would you like me to swim out and get him?"

"No no, it's ok" he smiled. "It's nice to see him out once for a change, I'd hate to burden him now." he smiled, wrinkling his robes.

"Burden him?" she said her forehead wrinkling with worry.

"Oh, not it's nothing like that, I was coming to tell him I've been scheduled for double the defence lessons for him." She laughed.

"Well I managed to persuade him to go out today" she paused, "I think he's coming back look" she pointed to a thrash of white water steadily moving closer.

"Very well, I'll wait" he smiled and sat down on the bank.

"Hello Remus!" Harry shouted.

"Hello" he returned as the two Weasley's waved.

"What do you want with me this time!" Harry guessed.

"Oh, nothing, I just came to check you're having fun!" he gave a sly wink at Hermione who smiled in return.

"Take our picture!" squaled Ginny, as the group huddled together Ginny, Hermione, Harry and Ron in that order, it was a perfect action shot of everybody smiling and splashing eachother.

"There you go" he said placing the camera down with the photo developing in the sun. "Harry come and see me sometime this week, I'm staying in one of the staff rooms, ask Mrs McGonagal if you're unsure, I'll see you soon" he smiled and walked away.

"I'm starving" Declared Harry, "Want to head back up?" Ron agreed on the sole premise of his stomach rumbling.

"Go ahead, I'll catch up" Hermione smiled, and Ginny chimed in

"Yeah me too", Harry and Ron shared confused looks and patted their stomachs whilst running away.

Hermione smiled then lay on the jetty so she was peering over the edge into the water.

"So you came" she said, directly to the water, she was watching a small silver fish dart around and was playing with it with one of her fingers. Ginny had picked up the photo and had assumed the same position as Hermione, and was tracing shapes on the photo.

"Yeah, I did."

"Why?" There was something in her tone that carried something cold, and accusatory, but also something that wasn't at all serious.

"What an odd question" Ginny remarked.

"Would you like to answer it?" Hermione shot back without ever looking up.

"I wanted to keep you company, I like being around you, you're more cheerful than anyone else in the grounds. It gets boring being around boys all the time, I like talking to you, I hate it when everyone else is miserable, and if you make me smile then I see no reason why I shouldn't have come today, you invited me, but this was obviously a mistake" she got up to leave but Hermione slipped a hand up her wrist, and pulled firmly so she was forced to sit down.

"Don't go, I'm sorry, I don't know whats wrong with me" she smiled in hope, and the smile was returned when Ginny layed down next to her.

"I've had fun today"

"Yeah me too"

"Look at the photo" Ginny indicated passing her it. She squinted in the sunlight and smiled. She studied the photograph and sighed, Harry looked happy, and she supposed that was all that mattered.

"Harry looks happy" she said.

"So do you" Ginny paused. "You look pretty too" Hermione just laughed and layed down on her back. Ginny did the same.

"Ow!" she screamed.

"What?" Hermione cried jumping up out of lightning reflex.

"Splinter" she said nonchalantly though Hermione could see the tears welling up in her eyes.

"Here" Hermione said, shuffling towards her and leaning her weight on hers, "Soak your hand in the water" and she dipped Ginny's hand into the lake. She pulled her hand out and kneeled in front of her. "It makes the skin loosen up, like when you get bath fingers. and it makes it easier to get it out". Hermione delicately wiggled the splinter free, gently closed her eyes and kissed Ginny's finger. "Better?"

"Yes, thankyou" Ginny smiled back out of the side of her face. Something in Ginny's face had changed.

"Are you ok?" Hermione said, concerned.

"Yeah I think I've got another one though"

"Let me see"

"No" Ginny uttered, withdrawing her hand. Hermione grabbed it forcefully and pulled her down. Ginny was inches from her face her arms holding up her shaking frame, a hand either side of Hermione's face, one pushing firmly on Hermione's shoulders. There eyes locked in the setting sunlight, her hair was dripping water onto Hermione's face. A bead of water rolled down to Ginny's lips, and a near-pain rose in Hermione's chest and stomach. Her breathing grew heavier as did Ginny's and vast period where nothing was happening seemed to span decades. Ginny leaned a fraction of an inch closer and Hermione swallowed hard and tightened her eyelids shut. Hermione reached up and gently kissed Ginny's forehead, and snaked a hand through Ginny's wet hair, she drew closer to Ginny's ear, her intense breathing was making Ginny shudder and her own breathing grow deeper into near moans. Hermione leaned up to speak in her ear and brushed her lips softly against Ginny's temple and then brushed a trail up to her ear and then whispered in a slow deep voice. "I know you haven't got another splinter" and then let go.

Ginny laughed and fell down next to Hermione, who was staring into the clouds.

"Are you ok?" Ginny muttered.

"I'm fine. It's a bit cold do you want to go back up?"

"Yeah ok"

In the great hall they quickly found Harry and Ron eating their own weight in food. They both smiled at one another as they looked forward onto a scene of normality they could both appreciate. Ron opened an owl from Fred and George.

"Christ!" he spat out.

"What?" Everyone cried in urgent unison.

"Fred and George are coming back tonight, The new headmaster has asked them to do some kind of project but I'm not sure what it is, they won't say".

"That new headmaster is bloody stupid! Unless he wants his castle blowing up, he's really hired the wrong people"

"We'll see, Hermione" Ron spat back.


	4. Trouble

Hermione excused herself from dinner she felt that the Weasley twins would have more than their fair share of trouble following them, and took an opportunity to be on her own after the strange goings on of the day, and in need of some time to clear her thoughts. There was a knock at the door.

"Ginny?" Hermione questioned, welcoming the intrusion despite her current mood.

Ginny walked in laughing. "How did you know it was me?"

"This year I've only had one visitor up here, and that was you, and that was last night, I thought I'd follow with that current strain of luck" Ginny smiled.

"Can I come in?" Ginny asked gingerly, a strain of tension still floating between them.

"Yeah of course. Sit down if you want" she smiled. Hermione was folding her clothes and neatly putting them away.

"What do you think Fred and George will be up to?" questioned Ginny, seemingly looking for some sage advice from the elder.

"It's obviously some kind of morale boosting stunt" Hermione stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I had a nice time today" Ginny smiled, ignoring the last statement, "It, _felt_ nice"

"It did didn't it" acknowleding that the days events had become some sort of bumbling allegory for their near-kiss, and uncharacteristic behaviour at the lake. Ginny had stepped closer and was almost level with Hermione, which made them both extremely nervous. Hermione shifted, and avoided eye contact, and recounted the opening lines of "Hogwarts : A History" in her head relentlessly. She had been caught in the moment of a day and that was all.

"What if it were, to happen again, you know, properly this time?" she enquired lifting her hand to Hermione's neck. What happened next was perhaps the strangest behaviour of all. Hermione pretended she didn't have the foggiest idea what Ginny was talking about.

"What? Being at the lake again on a summers day? Sounds nice" she evaluated, and ignored Ginny's dwindling grasp on her neck.

"Oh" whispered Ginny and lowered her hand, which Hermione grasped long enough to give it a tight, understanding, squeeze, and then dropped.

"Things are exceptionally odd" Hermione nodded, and stated to no one in particular.

"Indeed" Ginny concurred. There was a long pause while the red head seemed to be fumbling with words. Nothing by jagged sounds seemed to be coming out for a few moments, and Ginny looked to be arguing with her self, before spewing out in a burst of verbal vomit. "I just want to feel happy, just for a little while, a few minutes a day, even when I'm asleep, I don't care. At this minute I'd probably do anything to feel normal, and happy and just...me." Hermione looked aghast at the statement.

"Well, maybe Fred and George will cheer you up" Hermione suggested, meekly, she hadn't had enough experience with the fairer sex to fully understand what she was getting at, and as she was utterly hopeless in any kind of emotional help, it was all she could come up with.

"Erm, ok" she replied, seeing Hermione's efforts in there somewhere.

"Look, whatever it is, we can talk about it later ok?" Hermione settled. "Or you can talk to someone in your dorm about it, or Harry" trying not to load all the pressure upon herself. She was confident she would be back to her relative solitude soon.

"Ok"

"Enjoy yourself tonight yeah?" she smiled. The red head nodded in agreement and a smirk spread accross her top lip.

Suddenly there was an enormous crash, and they both looked up and laughed, signalling the return of Fred and George.

They descended the staircase to find them giving out gifts to all their favourite house mates.

"Do you have to buy our love now?" Questioned Hermione, grinning from the side of the doorway.

"Ahh, our sister in law to be!" Said George jestingly. Hermione shot Ginny a fleeting glance, and scowled at the twins, as she descended the rest of the way to them.

"Ha bloody ha" she retorted and shot Ron an acid glare that could have melted his face off if she had lingered any longer.

"We have gifts for you of course" Fred reasoned.

"Well then". He handed her a bottle of wine, she looked quizically. Withdrawing her wand and tapping it, checking for anything suspect.

"Belated birthday present, my favourite eighteen year old" George said.

"Since you're old enough now" Fred concluded.

"It's all above board, honest!" George returned.

"Thanks." she smiled quizically. A Weasley promise that everything was going to be ok, was usually a promise that all hell would break loose. She surveyed what they'd got, mostly useless morale building props, and alcohol. "So you're plan was to get everybody drunk?" she quizzed, uncorking the bottle and smelling the wine to also find it smelled seemingly normal.

"Well yes. And no" George started

"We just wanted to throw a great party. A love not war thing" Fred concluded the typical Weasley twin ethic.

"I'm not having anything to do with this" She smiled and sat in a chair by the fire, she poured herself a glass of wine and smelled it again to check, before she gingerly took a sip, it tasted fine. She smiled, and didn't notice her eyes rapidly flickering different colours and her tongue turning a nice shade of glowing green.

"Gin, we got you this bottle of fire whiskey, share it with grumpy chops by the fire won't you" Hermione signalled an unsavoury hand gesture and pulled a grimace. Ginny sat in the adjascent chair and laughed.

"I can't believe that was their brilliant plan. Get everyone bloody slaughtered" Hermione stated, whilst Ginny tried not to look directly at Hermione's eyes or laughing at her luminous green tongue as she talked.

"Well, to be honest I think I agree, we've had a brilliant day, restoring Harry to his old self, and erm, other nice stuff. I think a party will help." Ginny offered.

"If they're boosting morale I suppose, but it seems a terribly immature way to go about things" Hermione shook her head, staring at a blatantly charmed box, set to explode in Dean's face in less than a few seconds.

"It's Fred and George!" They both laughed.

"I think I'll read for now, if it's all the same to you" Hermione stated, quietly sipping her wine and settled to enjoy her own company.

"If you want" Ginny smiled and joined the group.

Hermione sat by the fire hugging a blanket, reading a book and sipping wine. Hours and hours passed, and she seemed to not even notice what was going on around her, Ginny watched her for a long while and Hermione didn't look up. After a while she put the book down and just stared into the fire. And before either of them knew it Hermione had finished off an entire bottle of wine.

A slightly drunk Ginny wandered over to her.

"Yeah?" she questioned, not meaning to sound as grumpy as she did.

"You looked lonely" Ginny said, with concern.

"I'm fine, honest" being ever the independent woman.

"Do you want to come and join in?" Ginny pushed.

"Maybe" she simply said, leaving it there.

"We're playing spin the bottle" Ginny insisted more.

"Like thats going to make me want to join in" she smirked.

"Worth a try" Ginny said walking away.

Hermione disappeared to the toilet and came back in to the room, after a few minutes. The noise was too loud for her to think as she clambered over the group of screaming testosterone fueled boys. She tripped on one of them and kicked the stationary bottle with her left foot. She sat on the sofa nearest the action, in order to please Ginny and prepared to read.

"You have to do this one!" George declared

"You knocked it! You have to" Fred repeated.

"What?" cried Hermione, "What are you talking about?"

"You kicked the bottle, and it span, so you have to do it, it's rules!" George squealed.

"Don't make us hex you" the second twin added on.

"And if I do this?"

"You're free to go!" they beamed.

"Fine, who did it land on?" she moaned, hands on hips.

"Oo it's the youngest Weasley! Ginny!" George smiled.

"No way!" Hermione refused.

"You said!" the twins insisted.

"Right, if I do this will you leave me alone!" Hermione said on the verge of anger.

"Yes" They chimed.

"Fine. Ginny!" she shouted, and kneeled in the circle. She crawled towards her and lifted an arm. She grasped Ginny's neck, and looked in her eyes briefly before looking over her shoulder at the twins. "How long for?"

"Thirty seconds"

"Thirty seconds! Bloody hell!" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "Are you ok with this?" she addressed Ginny.

"Yeah, whatever you want"

Fred and George shouted, "Go!" and they kissed.

It was strange, stranger than anything she had ever felt before. Stranger than any book she had ever read. Hermione felt everything fit into place, she wanted to feel this way forever, and at the same time felt a bit sick. It seemed to run for an age, and her skin became prickly and electric as Ginny traced her fingers on her shoulder blades. Hermione couldn't stand it any longer and stopped the kiss long before the thirty seconds, and turned to avoid Ginny's eyes. "Happy now?" she questioned.

"You bloody dyke!" screamed George

"I mean we've always suspected Ginny, but you!" Fred chimed in. Ginny looked horrified momentarily.

"Miss prim and proper! I'd never have guessed" George continued.

"Oh shut up, it was nothing." Hermione smiled, and sat back on the sofa.

"This picture doesn't say so" Chimed in Seamus as she snatched the picture off him and pocketed it.

"Behave" she sighed, and shifted in her seat. Ginny had gone quiet.

"God, Ginny's in a mood! Lovers tiff"

"Bloody hell it was just a kiss, it's not like you've never seen one live in action before." She stated calmly, "And, if it was between to girls, there's nothing wrong with that, it doesn't mean anything about their sexuality"

"So you're saying it's none of our business if you're a lesbian"

"No it is none of you're business"

"So you are?"

"Yeah, no, well, yeah, no! It's nothing to do with you anyway" she said sipping some firewhiskey as a distraction.

"Yes or No" the twins pushed.

"No bloody comment" and she downed the glass in one, to everyones cheers. It was quickly forgotten but Hermione felt shaken and she knew part of her was very nearly outted, but didn't think this was the time to be seriously questioning anything about herself or anyone else for that matter.

It had been a terribly long time, and Hermione stayed in a quiet stage of being social, she felt no need to speak unless spoken to, and dissapeared to her dorm with no mention. She'd been up there for nearly half an hour writing in her diary.It was nice she finally had something to write about. She heard a knock at the door.

"Ginny?" she questioned. She came in looking sad. "Are you ok?" she felt the familiarity of the question roll off her tongue. She just nodded.

"Are you?"

"I'm fine" she conceded quietly.

"Is it true?" she hesitated then swallowed.

"I thought I said I don't have to justify myself to anyone" She glared, "Since you're my best friend, or close enough, I might tell you"

"Well?"

"I didn't say now!" she laughed, finally putting her pyjama bottoms on.

"Can I sleep here again tonight?" Ginny questioned, after a long pause. Hermione merely shrugged. Ginny walked towards the bed and tripped on an uneven floorboard, Hermione caught her gently by supporting her with her own weight. They levelled up, Hermione's breathing quickened as she held Ginny's hips close against hers, and a simple accident had begun to escalate. Ginny grabbed Hermione's back and pulled her closer. They were now so close that a breath could have dislodged their faces and sent their lips crashing into eachother.

"This keeps happening" Hermione giggled and looked down. She looked up at Ginny and met her eyes.

"Do you want to finish it this time?" Ginny whispered. Hermione let out a small rush of air through her nose, it was quiet and something about the sound made Ginny tingle. She started tracing patterns on Hermione's bare skin, and bent to reach her shoulder with her mouth, and licked and blew a trail up Hermione's shoulder making her shudder. She placed her fingers on Hermione's throat and she let out a barely audible moan as the skin in her neck tensed and tingled.

"Kiss me" she urged in a hushed whisper, and smiled, playfully with her eyes twinkling. Their lips brushed against eachother, eyes closed, breathing rushed, and hands everywhere. It was messy in the sense of urgency and need, but calculated in the sense that it seemed as if it was somehow the right thing to do.

"Stop." Hermione sighed, and planted a chaste, delicate, kiss on her cheek. "Not now, ok." she smiled and climbed into bed, quickly followed by a dejected yet smiling Ginny who crawled into the bed-next-door.


	5. Books & Cleverness

August carried within it a storm of epic proportions, most of Griffindor house were fast asleep, none of them stirring until at least a few hours after noon. Hermione awoke and sighed. She didn't wish to think about what she had done. It wasn't because of anything to do with sexuality, she had often questioned it, but disliked giving it any thought. It had crossed her mind and she'd come to accept that she definitely liked girls more than boys in many ways, but so many things crossed Hermione's mind in the space of an hour, it would be a lie to say she had given it any deep thought. The way it felt had cemented it in her now, and she knew that sometime very soon she would need to think about it. The way girls felt, the way they tasted and smelled, it was like an entirely new sense experience, everything felt so much better with a girl that it felt like an enormous revelation in her mind, and she couldn't quite comprehend why more people weren't doing it. She left it there in her mind, and took a seat by the window in the dorm, watching the storm outside and occasionally looking over in the direction of Ginny.

She thought about Harry, and how happy he'd been the day before, she thought about how close they were with the horcruxes, and she thought about how nice the previous day was, albeit anomolous, and how she would be forced today to leave it in the past, because not every day could be like that. She conjured a cup of tea because she was so cold, and a little bit miserable and a cup of tea always helped.

An exceptionally loud thunderclap stirred Ginny, as she sat up and rubbed her eyes and huddled in the blankets, adjusting to the evil side of August, it was hard to believe that just yesterday it was warm enough to swim in the lake.

"Hungover?" Hermione smiled from her desk in the corner.

"Nah" she shook her head. "I didn't drink that much really" she smiled.

"You're cheerful today" Hermione noted.

"I think yesterday has just helped me ease up a bit" she explained shivering. Hermione absently flicked her wand at the small fireplace and it roared to life. "Thanks" smiled Ginny.

"I feel the same way about yesterday, but it's so sad really, lessons again tomorrow, and the horcrux won't find itself" Hermione sighed.

"Not everything will be all misery" Ginny stated, somewhat logically.

"Well I suppose we'll have to try" was all Hermione managed, returning to slurping her cup of tea momentarily. "Want one?" she offered

"Aye" Ginny nodded, Hermione waved her wand, and filled her own cup and conjured one through the air to Ginny who was sat up in bed. Hermione couldn't help but feel an overhelming sense of positivity to Ginny, something about her felt warm, which was just what she needed, especially today. Hermione wandered to the foot of Ginny's temporary bed and sat on it.

"Hermione?" she questioned.

"Mmm?" Hermione said, looking up and sipping her tea.

"When Fred and George were saying that stuff to you last night?" she looked up delicately as Hermione nodded, quickly avoiding her line of sight. "Was, erm, is it, oh shit." Ginny stuttered and swallowed a big mouthful of tea. "Was any of it true?" she blurted out as if it was one long word.

"I made it clear it's no ones business but my own" Ginny looked taken aback. Hermione laughed "I'm only joking, but I don't think it changes anything if it were true"

"What if it did?"

"Well no one will ever know, because I will never tell" Hermione smirked looking triumphant.

"You blatantly are" Ginny argued. "Or you wouldn't kick up such a fuss"

"Maybe I know someone who is, and I don't want them to be judged" Hermione glared at her, "I don't think people should be defined by something as trivial as that, people should just do what feels right in that department"

"Ok, well I won't push it. Even though I _am _your best friend, and I would like to"

"You really want to know which way I swing, that badly?"

"Yeah"

"Well then you won't mind waiting" Hermione laughed and finished off her mug of tea. "What are your plans for today then?"

"I suppose I better see some of my year, they'll be wondering where I got to, and then I have a sodding Arithmancy essay to do" she smiled.

"If you want some help, well you know who to come to" she offered.

"Thanks! So what are you up to today?"

"A few essays, I might read a book, helping you with your essay, see how Harry's getting on with everything, I think I'll probably be ready for bed by then" she laughed.

"Yeah, well thanks for the tea!" she smiled "I'm going to go have a chat with, whoever's awake I suppose! I'll let you get on"

"No problems" she smiled as Ginny gave her a kiss on the forehead. "See you later" she grinned.

Hermione didn't feel much like talking to anyone really, it was a strange time in her head for her, and she wanted some solace that only books could offer, and decided to push the less trivial aspects of her life to the back of her mind as she studied. Hermione hadn't left her dorm all day, and in the process had seemed to forget how to communicate in any way other than writing an essay. Harry surprised her by walking in and sitting beside her at the bed.

"Harry, I could have been naked" she exclaimed.

"The magnificently sexless Miss Granger, beneath that wooly jumper, is an infinite number of identical wooly jumpers" He jested, laughing at his own joke

"I am not sexless" she stated, trying not laugh at him. "What's wrong?" she questioned.

"Oh nothing, I was about to start this book, and thought if you'd have read it you could tell me if there's anything worth reading about horcruxes in it"

"No, sorry" she said saddened. "I see you're back to work"

"As nice as yesterday was, I have to, despite how hungover I am" he smiled.

"Good night then?" Hermione questioned.

"The best" he smiled "For a while anyway. How about you?"

"It was ok, I didn't really get into it, I was tired" she sighed.

"You seemed to be really getting into it" he jested.

"Ha. ha. Don't you start" she smiled

"Speaking of which, have you got Seamus' picture" he winked, She merely glared in responce."A boy has needs!" he laughed.

"No, it's mine!" she smiled.

"Will we be using it for the same reasons?" he smirked.

"Don't be so vulgar Harry!" she smiled, and pushed him.

"Well, are you that way inclined?" he pushed.

"Not you as well! It's none of your business!" she exclaimed at him.

"Not me as well eh? Who else has been wanting to know?" He was still smirking.

"Ginny asked" she stated calmly.

"She was probably after more! It looked pleasant enough" he smiled

"She justed wanted to know" she said in another calm statement.

"Well so do I" Harry pleaded.

"Very well, for your ears only, it may well be true" She said in a tired voice.

"May well?" he pushed further.

"Fine" she grumbled, and leaned into him, "It is true" she whispered.

"Oh" he said looking defeated.

"Oh?" she questioned.

"I just thought me and you might...one day" he said quietly, but with a hint of confidence.

"I thought you said I was sexless!" she laughed

"You're beautiful, in your own way" Harry smiled back at her

"Well, You never know, but I think now you're at a distinct disadvantage" she giggled, she gave him a soft kiss, and they pulled into a huge hug. "Don't tell anyone please?" she urged.

"Of course" he smiled and kissed the top of her head. "As long as you're happy" he smiled and hugged her tighter. "It's getting late" he sighed. "I'm going to common room to crack on with one of the other books."

"Ok" she sighed. "Bye". He grinned and waved as he left.

Hermione sighed and lay on her bed face down, buried in sheets. She had admitted it, and that meant she had to think about it. She sighed and buried her head further in the sheets. There was a knock at the door and she didn't even need to guess who it was. In a time like this, the universe would no doubt taunt her by sending Ginny.

"Come in!" she shouted

"God, are you ok?" Ginny said, almost running to the bed with concern.

"I just" she paused "I've just had alot to think about today"

"Me too" she sighed, "My brothers have been giving me a hard time"

"What about?" she questioned innocently

"Oh just stuff" she sighed. "Could you look over this for me?" she asked handing her a roll of parchment.

"Yeah, of course" she smiled, there was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds, as Ginny's hand slipped off the sheets and fell onto Hermione's free hand, niether of them wished to move. Ginny rubbed her thumb over Hermione's open palm.

"This is fine" she smiled "You accidentally changed a few symbols round at the end, but I corrected that, nothing you wouldn't have spotted yourself" she smiled. "Well done"

"God I need to relax" Ginny sighed

"Do you want to stay here again?" Hermione smiled.

"I'd love to" she paused "Can we have this?"

"What do you mean?" Hermione worried.

"Can we just have this feeling to ourselves. Where no matter what happens in the day, we can count on eachother to just be happy" she paused to breathe "Just be happy being who we are" Before Hermione could figure out what she was doing, she had grabbed onto Ginny, and pulled her into a massive hug. Just the feeling of breath on her shoulder, or the smell of her hair had made her incredibly joyous.

"Gin?" she questioned.

"Mmm?" Ginny replied, pressing her forehead to Hermione's.

"It is true" she sighed. "In case you couldn't guess." she paused again. "What, Fred and George said"

"I know" Ginny whispered.

"How?" Hermione questioned.

"You're not the only one who's so clever" she smirked.


	6. Hiding

Hermione woke, and looked around. She had fallen asleep on Ginny's chest, and in panic felt the need to quickly get up. She was starting to doubt herself more than she ever had. Her feelings had manifested themselves again, an angry feeling had risen in her chest as she left the bed, quickly got changed and practically ran to the great hall to be the first for breakfast. Her thoughts seemed so loud that she could barely do anything, and absent mindedly sipped her black coffee. It was too hard for her to comprehend. The fact that what had seemed a perfectly happy weekend was plaguing her, was baffling but Hermione knew why, She had admitted what she had long suspected, and had thus opened a pandora's box of questions that plagued her, and now she had nothing but solitude, and the pain of a thousand questions stinging in her forehead. There was a small residue of guilt clinging to the sides of her conscious that on a school morning she had left Ginny to wake herself, but she felt the small niggling feeling of guilt would be minimal in comparison to the discomfort caused by a confrontation after what Hermione had just admitted. She ran to Muggle Studies, and was there nearly an hour before class actually started, head down in a book that she had read thousands of times before, but it took her mind off things, so it was a pleasant excercise. She excelled more than usual in all of her classes that day, to everyone's bewilderment she wasn't at lunch, nor had anyone seen her at break. She was behind the ruins of an old building by the Whomping Willow. Some third year Ravenclaw's had hidden behind a wall close by huddled in their cloaks, to smoke some bewitched cigarettes they had no doubt smuggled from Hogsmeade. They were soaking steadily raindrops falling off their noses. Hermione had bewitched a small area of grass with a drying charm and was sat shivering, reading her second book of the day. It was nine before she even thought of moving, and out of discomfort she finally moved at ten pm, it was freezing again, and she wandered up to the castle in the wet. Her soaking wand was either damaged from water or from her consistent dry spell she had cast nearly six hours earlier.

"Hermione Granger, what on earth are you doing?" McGonagal had rounded a corner and saw Hermione aimlessly wandering the corridors.

"M-M-Mrs McGonagal I w-w-was" she stuttered, shaking.

"Never mind, In here now" she said, ushering the teen into the warmth of her office. "Surely" she said quietly conjouring a cup of tea for Hermione and levitating it into her hands. "A girl with as much sense as you Miss Granger, should know alot better than being outside in the castle grounds, especially in this weather!" she exclaimed. "Now do I have to enquire whether or not you are of sound mind?"

"I'm fine" she said, "Just thinking".

"Well I suggest sooner rather than later, you air your thoughts to somebody before you do go mad, because I'm taking tonight as a sign, you're surely on the way there!" she ruffled her robes after this last statement and began to talk in a much softer tone. "Now, I am aware some bad weather will not do much damage except a muggle cold. Which as you know has no cure, magical or muggle." she started muttering, "I will be the first to cure that insufferable little blighter" she seemed to snap out of it and turn her attention back to Hermione . "Anyhow, you surely must know how dangerous it is to be out in the grounds in these great times of mistrust, I trust you'll excersise a bit more caution next time" Hermione nodded.

"Can I go to the library?" Hermione blurted out, sipping the last of her tea.

"I don't see why not, Madame Pince will still be there" Hermione still didn't move. "You may go" and Hermione turned on her heel and left for the library. The castle was silent that night. The ghosts didn't play along the corridors as much as they used to. With the remaining students all in their later years, and Dumbledore gone, it was either not the time to haunt the students, or just useless trying to scare them. Madame Pince greeted Hermione with a saccharine tone reserved just for her, the only student in Hogwarts history to have read over two hundred and fifty books. "Hullo" she smiled. "Can you keep a secret?" she said with an impish grin. Hermione just looked puzzled. "A friend from the ministry may or may not have given me access to some of their most private stores"

"Oh really?" Hermione said playing along and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm no expert, but I do believe some information that might be crucial to one of your more, how should I put this? _Extracurricular _projects"

"Is that so" Hermione's face curled into an evil grin.

"So If I was to leave them lying around, and a student picked them up, it would be nothing to do with me, and nobody here would know how they got here in the first place. Understood?" Hermione nodded eagerly, and scooped them into her book bag.

"Can you do me a favour?" she asked.

"Yes, what?"

"If anyone comes in here looking for me? I'm not here" Madame Pince nodded in agreement. Hermione was a shelf shy of the restricted section, she had heard there was a potion that could be brewed, that if it was used on an existing horcrux it would reveal its predecessor and its successor in the chronological order in which the horcruxes were made. Hermione was convinced that it was combination of a reveal potion and a potion that could identify the owner of an object. Hermione was scanning some potions archives for a particular potion that would be the missing spell in the combination, she had a feeling it would be similar to a Chronos potion which allows its brewer to see the history of any item it is applied to, but this didn't apply to the future so Hermione continued to look. She heard a familiar voice enter the library with a greeting.

"Is Hermione in here?" Ginny asked.

"Erm, no, sorry she's, umm not here right now" Hermione inwardly scalded herself for trusting her whereabouts with such a bad liar.

"Then why is her bookbag here?" Ginny said. Hermione caught herself grinning at the cockiness the younger girl was showing.

"Oh, she must, have erm left it, you should take it back to her. Yes, left it. Take it back to her"

"Will do." Ginny nodded and dropped her own bag on the table. "I'm just going to look around for a minute" Ginny said slowly, as Hermione imagined the slow smile of recognition on Ginny's lips.

"Shit" Hermione cursed almost silently. Ginny was approaching and was a mere shelf away when Hermione realised; The Restricted Section. There were hundreds of wards to prevent students who didn't have permission to be in there, out of there. And Hermione was one of the only students allowed, she quickly dropped on all fours and scuttled into the Restricted Section. Ginny went to follow and was met with a watery translucent shield, she could press against it, like pressing against clear cellophane, and it was rubbery to the touch. She was breathing into it for a moment and placed her hand as far forward as it would go before she turned away. Hermione had her back to the shelf and was breathing heavily.

"Well, Madame Pince, I best get goin' if I'm going to" she paused to clear her throat and talk louder. "Deliver this bag to Hermione"

"Shit" Hermione cursed again. If Ginny got back to the common room before her, she would know she was still in the library, and if Hermione returned after her, Ginny would no doubt want to question her about her activities. Hermione decided seconds later to run out of the library, issuing a "sorry" on her way out to a puzzled Madame Pince, She decided she would run to the prefects dormitory, though she had initially abandoned it in favour of being social with her own year, she had stayed in the upper year's dorms out of habit, but tonight she wouldn't if she could get there before Ginny did, she could go to the prefects bedroom as it was naturally password protected, and she was the only one who knew it. Thinking quickly Hermione broke into a full on sprint, and thanked her bookishness and the marauders map for her memorising the quickest way back to Gryffindor house from the library. She promised she would never say a bad thing about that map again as she took a secret route, missing Ginny by seconds. She ran into the common room, Thankfully only Harry was there.

"Harry, in about ten seconds Ginny is going to run in here, looking more out of breath than I am, don't ask questions, but if she asks you _haven't _seen me. I'll explain tomorrow. Night Harry, love yer'" and she rushed off up to the prefects room. Harry looked stunned, as he took all that she had said and a bemused smile spread accross his face, as a flustered Ginny ran in, looked around quickly and blurted;

"Harry have yer seen Hermione?" she said quickly in one breath.

"No, sorry" he said looking equally bemused as he was before.

"Thanks" and Ginny ran off. Hermione had managed to slip into the prefects bedroom. She could hear Ginny tentatively walking into her other dorm, and walking out. She walked up the stairs to the prefect's bedroom, and banged on the door.

"Hermione, I know you're in there." Hermione sighed and slid down the door. Her rational thought had well and truly escaped her.

"Leave me alone Ginny" She wasn't sure why she was pushing her away but she was, it seemed logical.

"Is something wrong?" Ginny quizzed.

"No" she insisted through the door.

"Not another polyjuice disaster?" she sighed. and got no response. "Is this to do with what you told me, 'cause I promise I won't tell anyone, and I swear I'm fine with it, more than fine"

"Fuck off!" Hermione screamed into the door. Ginny didn't leave, she paused, composed herself, and said calmly.

"Hermione. I'm going to sit outside, outside this door, and I'm not going to leave until you're ready to talk, ok?" Which irritated Hermione, as Ginny knew exactly how to deal with her and calm her down. Hermione nodded silently on the other side of the door to the seemingly oblivious Ginny who was sat leaning against the otherside of the door. A long time had passed. When Hermione chimed up;

"Ginny? I want to talk to you now" she said sleepily.

But Ginny was already asleep on the other side of the door, her head resting on Hermione's book bag, and her hand pressed firmly against the door.


	7. Reflexes

A/N – Sorry for the time it took to update this. I'm rather fond of this fic again, and I have a lot planned for the final few chapters. I might add some fluffier parts next chapter, because who doesn't love these two together? They might need some fluff for what I'm going to put them through. Let's just say their detentions will be a lot worse than you can imagine! Thanks for all your patience with this fic, and reviews are always fantastic aren't they?

Hermione awoke, still fully clothed from the previous evenings spat with Ginny. She wiped at her nose with her free sleeve, and sighed as she remembered her antics in the rain, and the obvious cold that was to follow. As if on cue she let out a sneeze, and sighed again.

Faster than she ever had she conjured herself a cup of tea, tepid enough for instant drinking.

She quickly changed her robes, scraped her hair back and flung the door of her dorm open. She hadn't expected Ginny to be still lying outside, If she had she would have reserved some of the energy used to swing the door firmly into Ginny's head. A baffled Ginny cried out in pain but she knew it wasn't serious. It was mended with a fleeting glance and a kiss on the forehead. Then she was out of eye-line. Ginny in her night-before-robes, had slept with her head on a book-bag.

She knew she could not hide for ever, but she had also noticed she was doing very well. So she tried again, but Ginny had caught on now, Ginny was wise to her, so it was a lot harder. She was still surprised when on her way to potions she found herself bound by hands; one on her mouth, the other round her middle. Within seconds she was pinned to the stone wall of a disused classroom, a tiny feminine hand blocking her vision. Pink shapes – in her eyes. A forearm trapped her, as her fingers stiffened and reached for the wand.

'Don't' a voice said, though she couldn't tell who it was. Her fingers went limp.

'Who is it?' she asked, though she could smell the skin, she could smell vanilla and Turkish delight, and parchment; the ink on the hands.

'You know who it is' The voice replied. Ginny's voice. She could tell she was smirking. The hand from over her eyes moved, and pressed into her shoulder. She was trapped, though she was not adverse to the sensations that it was leaving her with. Hermione felt her eyes brewing with intensity and looked away. 'Look at me' Ginny commanded, but Hermione did nothing.

'Look Hermione, I've tried to be tolerant, and I've been nice, and I stopped when we...' She paused to air the thought in her mouth before it touched tongue. 'kissed, because you asked, not because I wanted to. And I looked for you all day to tell you I was okay with this, and you hid from me. You owe me an explanation. If not for yesterday, for the bump on the head' Ginny stated then pressed her hand into Hermione's collar bone further, making her squirm. Hermione thought she saw a flicker of pleasure on Ginny's lips but it had gone without a trace.

Hermione wished for words to come to her, silently calling a verbal phoenix to pull her out of the mess she had found herself in. She mentally untangled pieces of string to avoid how close they were: Ginny's breath warmed her face, she could feel her pulse, starched stiffness of Ginny's school collar was ever so slightly grazing her neck and filling her with intense pleasure. Distance. Hermione needed to gain distance to think and made a break for the door. With a slam of pain she was against the wall again, and Ginny was firmly grasping both their wands.

'Quidditch, Hermione. I've got the reflexes of a cat, so don't even try' She said, the smirk evident this time around. A pause followed, the tension building. Hermione awaiting her immanent collapse, Ginny awaiting her certain gain.

'Hermione, look. I think I know what's going on with you. But I can't be bothered with you running away from me all the time, I just need you to be honest. I like you Hermione, I think you're lovely, and sweet, and beautiful, and I could go on forever. But I think you're being a bit unfair' Ginny proclaimed, nudging her thigh, hard between her legs, Hermione made a whimpering sound. She inched her face closer to Hermione's ear. She whispered, "And I want to do all these things to you Hermione, and unless you tell me that's fine, I'm going to have no one to do all these things to. And I might have to find another girl to do these things to, before I go mental. But it's you I want to do all these quite frankly dirty things to, no one else. I've been wanting to for the longest time, and I can't hold it in. Don't you think you're being the tiniest bit' She paused and nudged between Hermione's legs again. 'Unfair?' she concluded biting Hermione's ear lobe and scraping back some of her loose hair.

'Okay okay' Hermione sighed. ' I like girls. And I like you' Was all she stated. Though it was all she needed as Ginny slammed her whole body against Hermione's and kissed her. It was a roving mess of cinnamon tongues and raspberry lips. Hands. Messy hair. Fingernails. Thighs. Hermione found her knees weaken and stomach flip. Ginny felt omnipotent as blood surged through all the tiny tubes and capillaries. They both grinned; noses touching. Their lust and rapid blood-flow leaving them high. They both gasped for breath within inches of each other's faces, and Hermione let out a wonderfully innocent giggle that made Ginny shudder. She couldn't contain herself and kissed Hermione again, deeper this time. Longer. Sexier. There was an aching inside them both that neither knew existed until this moment, but now it seemed so insatiable that it was nothing short of a miracle they hadn't noticed before. They continued kissing for an indefinite amount of time, before Hermione started to make a small struggling noise, akin to a small animal. Ginny ignored it the best she could before finally pulling away and shooting Hermione a "this better be good" look.

'Gin.' She paused, gasping for breath. 'We're' she panted, 'We're' she said inhaling gallons of much needed air. 'We're going to be late for potions' she spat out the words all jagged and rough between breaths. Ginny merely let out a dry laugh.

'Do you really want to go?' Ginny smirked, raising her eyebrows. Hermione looked sheepish and shuffled away a few inches, hoping they would be miles. 'You're funny' Ginny merely stated with a slight grin. 'Come on then, but one kiss first or I won't let you leave' Ginny smiled, rolling up the sleeves on her school uniform.

'Won't let me? I'd like to see you try...' Hermione smirked as she made her way for the door, only to have a hand slammed in front of it so fast that Hermione's hair moved in the breeze it generated. A slightly aghast Hermione attempted to move the hand but to no avail. 'Oh alright then' Hermione submitted.

'Is kissing me really that awful?' Ginny said, attempting to do puppy dog eyes but coming across annoyed. With that slight provocation Hermione kissed her briefly.

'I can assure you that it is heavenly, but I don't want to miss any more potions' Hermione grinned.

'If you must, Come on then' Ginny smiled and removed her arm. The next five minutes were spent with Hermione dragging an ever-increasingly resistant Ginny to their newly-joined potions class. Intermittently stopping in the empty hallways to bribe her with kisses.

'Nice of you to join us, ladies' Slughorn spat clearly frustrated as the class were collectively already quite far through a very complex potion. 'I wonder what was more important than attending my lesson's on time' He pondered for a moment. 'We can discuss it over detention, let's see, next Thursday? I'm sorry girls, but it's school policy for anyone over half an hour late..'. Hermione's eyes widened into a glare, as she stared at Ginny who was returning to her side of the classroom. Ginny found this so amusing she had to look away and bite her lip to stop herself from giggling. Hermione didn't find it as amusing, and sat down with a thud, and a fake dirty look for Ginny. 'Something amusing, Miss Weasley?' Slughorn turned to face Ginny, who was still forcing back a giggle at Hermione mouthing "Half an hour!?" at her from behind Slughorn's back. Ginny finally gave and snorted an enormous laugh from the table. 'I was going to let you serve your detention together, but since you can't seem to calm down, I think cleaning the green houses with Mr Filch is more appropriate' He concluded as Ginny's face sobered. 'I think I have disrupted the class enough. Continue' He said waving his hand as the shocked student's faces dropped back to the cauldron.

'What's wrong with you' questioned an open mouthed Ron, in astonishment.

'Yeah, Herm, you're never late-Lacewings first Ron' Harry added, scratching his head awkwardly.

'Well clearly I am sometimes late, or how do you explain this' Hermione smirked rolling up her sleeves and propping her cauldron on the desk.

'Well you have to tell us' Ron urged.

'Contrary to what you might think Ronald, I don't actually _have_ to tell you anything' she said with a smirk reflecting her inner battle - She so desperately wanted to tell him what she'd really been doing just to see the shock on his face.

'Were you seeing a boy?' Ron spat.

'Yes Ron, Viktor just flew in for a quickie' Hermione returned, as Harry looked on sheepishly at the verbal tennis.

'Who were you seeing?' An increasingly crimson Ron asked.

'It is none of your business!' She said in a partial-yell.

'It is my business if you're dragging my sister into this' He shouted, their feuds were so commonplace that no-one really batted an eyelid, though Ginny was watching with an interested smirk.

'She's old enough to speak for herself Ron-Lacewings first' Hermione said fairly calmly this time.

'Oh and what would you know?' Ron spat.

'A lot more than you Ron' She fired back, faster than before.

'Such as?' Ron smirked.

'I know about you and Lavender for a start' She finished loud enough for the class to swivel their heads in interest. With that Ron's cauldron exploded leaving a rather embarrassed and sooty-faced Ron glaring at Hermione with contempt.

**'Ron we told you; Lacewing first' Harry said quietly.**


End file.
